Posts filed under Pen Reviews

Gravitas Pocket Fountain Pen Full White Delrin Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And her latest book, Root Rot, is now available for pre-order!)

When I received my Gravitas Quark, there was a stowaway in the package. There, nestled in with the expected items, was a leatherette pen sleeve, and inside that was the best hitchhiker ever--a white Delrin pocket fountain pen. I hadn't yet tried any of Gravitas's standard pocket pens, so this was a very welcome addition to the collection.

The most striking thing about the Delrin material is how light it is. The pen hardly weighs anything at only 13g capped or posted. The light weight makes it easy and comfortable to write with, and the Delrin warms in the hand, so there's no fatigue even with very long writing sessions.

The pen is shaped similarly to a Kaweco pocket pen, where the cap covers most of the body. That keeps it compact when closed, and then when posted, the long cap transforms it into a full-sized pen. The end finials are both shaped to a sharp point, and one side of the cap is machined flat to serve as a roll-stop. The grip section is finely textured to prevent slipping, and it has a nice tapered shape that is easy to hold.

The nib it comes with is one of Gravitas's own nibs, which fits Jowo nib units. It also comes with a wee plunger converter, though it also takes short international cartridges. It also comes with two O-rings, one on the grip section threads and one on the cap threads, that add extra security if you want to eyedropper the pen. I haven't tried eyedroppering it yet, but I plan to next fill.

The nib writes very smoothly with good ink flow. The only issue that might annoy some users is that the texture of the grip traps ink when filling from a bottle, so there may be some discoloration between cleanings. Some inks might even cause some staining to the white material there. This doesn't bother me, personally--I like inky grips as much as I like inky fingers--but I know some folks who hate it. Maybe go for the black Delrin, if that's you!

This pen sells for 90 Euros, or around $95. While that's a lot compared to the similar-appearing Kaweco, this Delrin material makes a huge difference in quality that's reflected in that price. This is a tough, workhorse pen. Which is good, because it's inked up for NaNoWriMo, and it's time to put it to work.

(Gravitas Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on November 2, 2023 by Sarah Read and filed under Gravitas, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Pilot Explorer Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Pilot Explorer fountain pen may have been around for close to five years now, but it still feels like a new release from Pilot. And even though it's been on the market for years now, I still automatically think of the OG Explorer when someone mentions "Pilot Explorer." In my mind, there's still only one Pilot Explorer, and it's a quirky, discontinued rollerball pen that is really hard to find nowadays. Because of this block in my brain, I compulsively refer to the fountain pen version as the "Pilot Explorer fountain pen" because my brain won't let me use the old name. If this is the kind of thing I have to look forward to as I continue becoming Old™, I guess bring it on? Or maybe be a little more creative with naming things? Either way, we're here to look at a fountain pen, and I'll leave my name judgments behind with this paragraph.

Kimberly actually looked at a similar variant of this pen back in March, so be sure to check that out for the demonstrator barrel and fine nib! The one I have the pleasure of using is from Vanness and it's the Turquoise colorway with a medium steel nib. I try to branch out from my preferences for turquoise and purple, but I also have a hard time saying no when turquoise or purple happen to be the only "interesting" color option for a product. That's what happened with the Explorer fountain pen, and I couldn't be happier with this finish color. The turquoise is delightful and has a little bit of metallic sparkle mixed in with the paint to give it a bit more visual interest. Pairing this up with a turquoise ink is a must (at least in my opinion). I chose Infinity Turquoise from Private Reserve because it was the easiest Turquoise for me to reach in my embarrassingly disorganized ink shelf, but I would have preferred using Pilot Iroshizuku ama-iro to satisfy the brand-on-brand OCD.

Moving on from the exterior color, there are few other details on the outside of the pen that make this a unique entry among Pilot's fountain pens. The matte black clip and finials provide a great contrast to the bright body color. There are a couple of black circle cutouts at the top of the cap, and I wish Pilot had skipped this part because it detracts from the overall look of the pen. There's also a large "Pilot" logo debossed along one side of the cap that also diminishes the overall feel of the pen. The Kakuno is the closest comparison for the Explorer fountain pen, and there aren't any large logos there, so I'm confused why Pilot chose to go all-in on the logo with this pen. The Metropolitan is also comparable in terms of price, and the only logo present on that pen is minuscule — there's a small Pilot stamped into the shoulder of the clip. Big differences!

Uncapping the pen is a smooth process. The cap snaps on/off from the grip section, which makes it easy to operate with one hand. The cap also posts securely on the back of the pen. There's a nice audible snap when putting the cap back on the pen so you know it's closed and ready to go.

The grip on this pen is similar to the Kakuno, but it's just a bit smaller in diameter. The translucent plastic is smooth, but still provides plenty of grip when using the pen.

Like the Kakuno, the Explorer fountain pen is entirely made of plastic, which makes it really lightweight. Contrast this to the Metropolitan, which is brass and aluminum, the writing experience is much different. I like using the Explorer fountain pen for longer writing sessions because it just disappears in my hand. I feel the same way about the Kakuno. I have no problem using the Metropolitan for extended periods, but I can definitely feel a difference in overall hand fatigue.

The steel nib on this pen is very similar to the Kakuno and Metropolitan. The medium size of this nib is a Japanese medium, which is close to a typical European fine. The nib is smooth and performs well out of the box — exactly what I've come to expect from Pilot, even on their lower-end pens.

The pen came with a squeeze cartridge converter (same one that is included with the Metropolitan), and also a black cartridge. At the price point, this is a nice inclusion. If it didn't come with a converter, I'd definitely add one to the order.

The Pilot Explorer fountain pen is a great entry-level option for new-comers, but also an excellent workhorse that can justify a place in any collection. The lightweight but durable material make it easy to use, and the price point is easy to accept at just $25. If the turquoise color isn't your thing, there are several other options as well. This makes a great first fountain pen for yourself or as a gift, but it's also a solid fountain pen to add to your collection. Just be aware that this isn't the first Pilot Explorer!

(Vanness Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on October 25, 2023 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Pilot, Explorer, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Pilot ILMILY Nuance Gel Pen Review

Very few things in my stationery life get me more excited than a gel ink pen with a fine line and a unique ink color. The Pilot ILMILY Nuance Gel Ink Pen combines those things perfectly, and packages them into a great barrel.

Review over, right? Not so fast.

As a fan of Pilot’s highly Instagramable ILMILY (I Love Me, I Love You,) product lineup, I somehow had missed the launch of the Nuance. It wasn’t until a friend included one in a care package of awesomeness to me that I tried one out, and I was immediately hooked.

That pen in question, the Nuance Black Yellow, made me giddy. As I alluded to up top, an 0.5 mm gel ink pen, and in a color as weird as Black Yellow, really gets me going. It wrote well, and the barrel was cool and comfortable. Immediately, I asked, “Are there more?”

Yes, Brad, there are more. Many more.

One of the fun ideas I’ve seen pen companies tackle over the past several years is the idea of “Black+” ink formulations. My all-time favorite is Uni-ball’s Signo DX in Lavender Black (0.38 mm please, and thank you.) Uni-ball expanded on that idea with their BLX formulation in other pen lineups, and brands like Pentel and Sakura dabble in a more limited capacity. These colors take the very business-like black ink formulation and add a hint of other colors to the mix.

Pilot took that “hint” of added color directly into the product name of this lineup. The colors are nuanced on the page, often requiring closer inspection to see the alternate shade come through. They are there, to be sure, but set your expectations accordingly.

In my writing samples, I made sure to mix in the Black ink of the Pilot G2 0.5 mm pen as a baseline. The Nuance lineup also has a Black-only ink pen, but I wasn’t compelled to purchase that one. I did purchase the remainder of the colors, minus Black Brown, which was simply an oversight on my part.

The beauty of these inks is that you can get away with using them in settings where Black ink is the expectation. You and I can have our little secret, ok? I think Black Red and Black Yellow have the most noticeable undertones, and therefore are my favorites. Black Green is the least interesting, and Black Blue and Black Violet land in the middle. Other brands do those combinations better.

It’s almost impossible to see through a computer screen, but the writing order is Pilot G2 Black, Nuance Black Blue, Black Violet, Black Red, Black Green, Black Yellow, and then back to the Black G2 down the page.

If you know what to expect going in to the ILMLIY Nuance series, you will be happy with the results. That is, if you want to pay over $4 per pen. That is at the top of the price range for a gel ink pen, but that is where Pilot has placed this premium brand. At that price I can’t recommend the entire set, but if you like them, pick out one or two of the more interesting colors. Or, pro tip, grab the refills for half the price and use them in Pilot G2 compatible pens. Taps forehead.

I’m glad the Pilot ILMILY series exists. Yes, it is premium priced, but it gives them a platform to experiment outside of their normal product lineups. I’m always for that.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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